This invention relates to a self-supporting structure, and more particularly to a self-supporting structure comprised of modular elements.
It is often desirable to be able to fabricate a self-supporting structure, hereinafter referred to as an exoskeletal structure because it does not have any interior supports for use as both temporary and permanent exhibition halls, environmental shelters, and the like, greenhouses or growth supporting structures, i.e., that require enclosure and yet be light transmitting. It is particularly desirable to make such structures from modular building elements which need only be fastened together along their edges. Perhaps one of the best known of such structures is a semicylindrical hut built of corrugated metal elements fastened together and popularly known by the trademark Quonset, which is owned by Stran-Steel Corporation. In other convoluted structures, particularly when made of nonmetallic materials, the surface is not corrugated but is simply made up of a series of convex convolutions. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,750,353 and 3,118,010.
There have been several disadvantages with such prior art type structures. They are often relatively expensive, are somewhat time-consuming to construct, and are almost uniformly unattractive. Since their primary purpose is functional, no attempt has generally been made to consider the various geometric relationships between the dimensions of such structures to produce a structure which is both functionally sound and aesthetically appealing.